Is this normal/acceptable to you at your job?

Question

I work for an office which employs approx. 25 people. There are no sick days or personal days, only a week (5 days) of vacation. If we are sick or need a day off, we have to use one of our 5 vacation days.
If we do not have any vacation days left, you dont have the option of not being paid, since they say the company medical play requires you to work a 40 hour week. Only option is to make up the hours before the next pay period or else lose your FT status and medical coverage.
We do have off for major holidays, but never like the day after Christmas or New Years Eve or anything (unless they're on a weekend of course).
There is no eating allowed at our cubicles, and no cell phones allowed in the building. Also, there are no typical 15 minute breaks, only a 1/2 hour lunch and that's it.
Is this normal or acceptable to you for 35k/yr?

Answer 1

Not hardly! Where do you work? My Gosh? Even in the Auto Industry, as I'm a Finance Director, we have breaks, sick days, etc. However, we do not have many days off. Many are even open on Easter here in California! Always open on Sundays as well, normal hours 12 hours! Pretty bad huh?
As far as the full time having to do with your medical? No way! No cell phones in the building? What's the Owner afraid of? Eating in the cubicals, a lot of places prefer you eat in their lunch room. That's understnadable, depending on the job you do, and the Companys business dealings. They don't want customers, coming in, and having the smell of others lunches etc. Many companies have feel that way. However, if no lunch room? That's another big question? Makes no sense. (If you worked for the FBI, maybe, some of these rediculous rules would come into play. However, not any regular Company, I've ever heard of? This is not right! Also, you having to make up the hours BEFORE your next pay period for Medical? No Way! This, is all the "OWNERS" rules. His/Hers and only the Owners! I've never heard of anything like this. You can call the Labor Board, I'm sure, they will also, be happy to hear something like this. It's just flat wrong, and done, by the Owner(s). I'm sorry, to hear what you're going through. Best of luck to you! Take Care, you may want to call a friend, that works in the same line of work as you do. Get a feel for what their working conditions are. Yours, are not fair, right or even close to a normal work place. Using Medical, as a reason, is outrageous. Good Luck to you. I'm sorry you're going through this. Things will work out for you, they always do. Keep a good attitude, and move forward, with or without this company.

Answer 2

Yes, I think so. It seems at first glance a little strict or unfair, but when you say the office only employees 25 people it makes more sense. I do think they have to give you two 15 minute breaks per day, though. Obviously, your employer cannot afford a large all-inclusive benefits package for only 25 people. I worked for a year and 1/2 at a business that was very much like what you have, except we only had 17 people. We had NO benefits, no paid vacation and no sick days at all. And we had a very strict boss, who didn't like it one bit if you were 5 minutes late getting there, or returning from lunch break which was only 30 minutes. And you're making a pretty decent salary, really. When I was working for the former company, I was only getting $8.00 per hour by the time the company went out of business. Of course, that could be just the pay differential in where we live. I'm in a very small town in Oklahoma.
You could always start looking around for something better, while still keeping the job you have. Good luck.

Answer 3

Bummer! OK...They do not have to offer you any sick time or vacation time, and they can require you to use up your vacation time if you take off. Depending on the state, they may not be required to offer you a break, but they do have to offer you a lunch break. As far as the cell phone, a person should not need one while they are working except under certain conditions for a short time period (ailing parent, sick kid). And Holidays, also their choice.
I would say do one of two things. Do some research. Show your company how being so strict on this sick policy will actually cost them more money in training new employees to replace those who will quit on them. This company is small, and probably can not afford much and may not know that this could be costing them more money then just being better to their employees. I also believe that on the 40 hour work week for medical...that is something that the company sets up, and it would be a constant less then 40 hours to kick you out of the plan. No one sends the insurance your time card for the week.
Other then that....find another company that will treat you better.

Answer 4

No, it's not. They are not required to offer ANY vacation, sick, or personal time, however, they are REQUIRED by law to offer you a 30 minute lunch and two 15 minute breaks.

They can legally ban you from using cell phones at the office....they are not paying you to chat with your friends, and they can ban you from eating at your cubicles.

Answer 5

it appears these are the rules or work conduct, I am sure they told coming in what they were and you chose to take the job. However under Federal Labor Law there is NO provision for breaks of any kind, it only applies to minors, some states do require a meal period but it is very specific but not breaks.
As far as cell phones you are not being paid to talk on your phone plain and simple.

Answer 6

Absolutely not. In fact, it's illegal.

Check the link below for the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and then find a similar link which applies to the country where you are working.

The Company where you work is not playing fair and could get into serious trouble!

Answer 7

in the united states its currently ok to hire people without papers -- anything is acceptable. i wouldn't accept it. i learned the hard way -- people that don't respect you enough to give you full benefits won't respect you enough to play fair during anything else. you end up feeling abused because you are being abused. this is only in the united states. countries in south america and africa have better work benefits than the united states currently has. foreigners are often horrified at the horrible labor laws and abuses in the united states.

when you look for your next job (hopefully tomorrow) look for the complete package. you might be making less in income but the benefits will more than make up for it.

the person that mentioned breaks and lunches -- those are state labor laws -- not national. in many places they exist and are denied anyway.

Answer 8

I dont care how much they pay nothing is worth that kind of idiocy and would not care to work there . They are breaking the law by not giving you the two 15 min breaks . I would be so ready to find another job if i worked there . good luck .

Answer 9

I don't know in which country you live, but I have a major in Labor Relations. This is not acceptable, not even in South Africa where I come from. Consult your Labor Law and see what rights you have. No one should work like that!

Answer 10

No, most of it is pretty much unacceptable to me, some of it I understand, but don't agree with. We're not allowed cell phones in our facility, because of the work we do, same for iPods and such, but it's a pretty draconian environment as you describe it.

Think I'd look elsewhere.